


As Luck Would Have It

by lazylyz



Series: fair game oneshots [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Head Massage, M/M, One Shot, Recovering Alcoholic, fair game, strong boys being soft and gentle boys, touch starved qrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21746371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazylyz/pseuds/lazylyz
Summary: The kids all got the night off, and Qrow has nothing to distract himself from his impending headache. It just so happens he is not the only one with the night off.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: fair game oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772341
Comments: 19
Kudos: 333
Collections: rubess





	As Luck Would Have It

**Author's Note:**

> It’s those looks, man. Those looks they gave each other got me. Hnng, have some touch starved Qrow. He needs all the love.

With most everyone given the night off, Qrow found himself with nothing to do and nothing to distract himself from the dangerous spiral of thoughts he could usually keep at bay with a drink. It's how he found himself on the floor in the break room with his hands over his eyes trying to resist the urge to relive the pain the only way he knew how.

Qrow shifted his shoulders against the firm ground. He had hoped when he first laid down it would be some kind of relief for the looming headache. That it would be soothing, but now his shoulder's ached and the lights were directly in his eyes causing the feint throbbing ache to shift suddenly into intense pounding.

Heavy footfalls reverberated through the floor, but Qrow didn't make a move to look. He only pushed his palms tighter against his face to block more of the light, hoping that whoever came in would ignore him.

"So, this is where you get to when there's nothing to do."

Qrow recognized the rich voice immediately and would roll his eyes in response if they weren't currently covered. It was just his luck or the other way around; he didn't know at the moment. All he did know was that he should have stayed in his own room so he wouldn't be interrupted in his wallowing.

"What do you want, pretty boy," he graveled out in response.

Hearing a snort instead of a reply, Qrow pulled one hand away to get a good look at Clover standing over him. A corona of light haloed around his head, making him look like some kind of ethereal being, and Qrow couldn't make out his expression due to the backlight.

"Do you have to stand right in the light?"

"Oh, sorry," Clover said, moving further over Qrow. A shadow fell over Qrow's face as Clover shifted to block the beam. He let out a soft sigh and squinted up. "You got a headache?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Here, I've got the perfect thing to help; my grandmother says it's the only thing that works."

Clover reached a hand down to Qrow, who looked at it for a moment trying to decide what taking the offer meant for him. Concluding that he couldn't be bothered to figure it out right now, Qrow grabbed Clover's surprisingly soft hand.

His grip sure, Clover flexed. His muscles rippling as he lifted Qrow with ease. He wouldn't have to put forth any effort to get off the floor. Something he much appreciated when the pain jabbed sharply in his temples causing him to wince.

The half-smirk and smiling eyes that met him when he was upright lightened his mood a little, but the ever-present pressure behind his eyes kept the grimace on his own face.

"So…" Qrow trailed off, eyes catching the shifting look in Clover's eyes. He was up to something more than just helping with a headache, and Qrow didn't know if he wanted to parse that information in his condition. He might as well ask if this was going to get anywhere, "What's this perfect thing your grandmother swears by, wonder boy?"

"Hm." He sounded distracted; eyes half-closed before raising his gaze to meet Qrow's. His expression hardened into a clear determination, "Oh, here. Lay down on the couch, feet over the armrest on that side," he replied, pointing to the plush couch to show him where to lay down. His no-nonsense tone had Qrow following the direction without much thought while Clover took a seat at the far end and looked back up at him expectantly.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at Clover, "You know, if I had wanted to be pampered like some…"

"Just lay down and trust me," Clover cut him off. His soft smile putting Qrow on edge.

"Fine," Qrow grumbled and tried to keep his flaring temper under control. He draped his legs over the open armrest and made to lay back, but Clover pulled at his shoulders pulling him back further than he had planned. As a result, his head landed squarely in Clover's lap. The muscle firm but nowhere near as solid as the floor.

Before Qrow could complain, Clover placed a hand centered on his forehead, fingers resting at the edge of his hairline before he pushed them through. His blunt nails scraping gently leaving a pleasant tingle in their wake.

A strong shiver shook Qrow's body and he tried to bite back a whimper. Instead, a half-stifled, inelegant groan fell from his lips. It had been a long time since anyone had given him attention like this, and he was too wound up with tension to control his body's reactions.

Clover smirked down at him and repeated the movement before drawing circles with his thumbs over the edge of Qrow's temples. He was leaning in close over Qrow, who in response, snapped his eyes shut to avoid staring at his eyes. Eyes that he often found himself captivated with.

Clover's voice rumbled softly near his ear, but he couldn't make out the words. He nasally grunted, hoping Clover would get that he didn't hear him and had no energy to speak up. Not with what Clover was doing with his hands. It was dizzying.

The hands stilled and Qrow let out a disappointed grunt.

"I asked, do you know where everyone went to for their night off?"

"Hmm, Blake and Yang decided to go clubbing with one of the local teams here…" Clover started carding his fingers through his hair again making it hard to focus. "Oscar, Jaune, and Weiss went to the movies…" Clover doing something distracting. "And Ruby and everyone else went down to Robyn's party thing."

"And you didn't tag along?"

Qrow opened one eye to see Clover looking down at him with an open expression. One that curiously cataloged his response.

"If I said you had a booger in your nose…"

Clover's hand engulfed Qrow's entire face. Chuckling, Qrow pushed at his hand, trying to get him to return to his pain-relieving duties.

"Qrow, if you wanted to go you should have…"

"Nah, they don't need me tagging along. And besides, I've got a headache."

"You shouldn't have to suffer for making good decisions."

"Hmm, tell that to my semblance."

Clover must be contemplating that as long silent moment stretched between them. His fingers never ceasing their ebb and flow, pushing the pain aside rather efficiently.

"My next question is," Clover said quietly, "What came first, the name or the semblance?"

Qrow didn't answer right away. How much could he tell the guy without drawing out a sob story, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to relive all that right now. He settled on the truth without the why "I got the name after. Always just happened to be in the wrong place wrong time kind of thing. It stuck."

"A bit on the nose, don't you think?"

"You have no idea," Qrow replied, rolling onto his side, face pushed up against Clover's stomach. Clover's fingers moved with Qrow's movements, and he let himself wonder just how amiable the man was to sticking around despite everything Qrow's semblance caused.

They were quiet for some time, enjoying the still atmosphere while Clover continued to massage Qrow's head.

"God, if only I could bottle this and take it with me."

Cover chuckled, "It'd be easier to just keep me nearby."

Qrow couldn't keep the small smile from his face, "Hmm, now there's a tempting proposition."

An alarm blared in the distance and Qrow jolted upright, but a sharp pain erupted in the back of his skull.

"Ah."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to grab you." Clover's hand gripped his hair lightly and pulled him back down. "We've got the night off. Let someone else deal with the response first. If they need us, they'll come get us."

"But if something happened down in Mantel, I need to know."

Clover sighed, his fingers stilling their ministrations, "Go get your weapon. I'll go check in with Ironwood."

Qrow sat up with no resistance this time. He fumbled for words of gratitude but couldn't find any. Clover gave him his patented half-smirk and Qrow rolled his eyes.

"Uh, thanks for this."

"You're welcome. You deserve to have a night off and be treated with care every now and then too."

Qrow awkwardly froze from getting up off the couch. His mouth going slack, he looked back at Clover to find him watching his response with the same open expression.

An unintelligible sound came from his throat and he panicked. "Uh…"

"Qrow, go get your things. Meet me in Ironwood's office. We'll find out if they need us or not."

"Yeah, I'll do that." He got up and swiftly left the break room all the while rubbing at the back of his neck. As luck would have it, there were no remnants of his earlier headache.

He smiled to himself and pick his pace up figuring the rest of his night would be busy.

**Author's Note:**

> This was going to be cards, but the intricate rituals got me.  
> Did I listen to Bad Luck Charm on repeat to capture the right amount of depressing for Qrow? Absolutely.  
> Also, you can find me on tumblr @lazylyz or @lyzwrites if you don't want the garbage I reblog.


End file.
